


The Little Town of Thedas

by BreakerBroken



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: Everything's nice and cozy, Fictional hometown, Fluff, Hometown AU, No Plot/Plotless, Vignettes ahoy!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-17
Updated: 2020-09-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:15:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 7,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26509621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BreakerBroken/pseuds/BreakerBroken
Summary: ***COMPLETED***A combination bookshop and brewery. A CrossFit gym. A pizza shop that connects to a trendy bar. The more you explore, the more you see! A nice and somewhat fluffy fictional hometown AU.
Kudos: 1





	1. Your Town

**Author's Note:**

> It popped into my head, and it seemed cute! No particular plot goal, just fun, cozy hometown AU stuff! ~BreakerBroken

You moved back home after living in another city for five years. That city was large, and noisy, and crowded. You loved it for a while. Then you got tired of it. So you moved back to your hometown, where you grew up.

Your family still lives in your hometown, near the house you grew up in. Your friends have made their way back as well. There’s a saying that if you were born in this town, you would always end up back home eventually.

All the shops and institutions you remember from your childhood are where they had always been, but the faces in them had changed. Some new spots had opened up, but they seemed to fit right in. Familiar and new all at once.

Your boxes have all been unpacked, and you’ve settled into your new apartment. You decide it’s time to start exploring your old-and-new hometown.


	2. The Library

You decide to start off at a familiar spot: the local branch of your library, a short bike ride from your apartment. Your parents brought you here for storytime or other children’s classes when you were younger. When you were twelve, they allowed you to walk here after school (it was just down the street, after all). You did your homework or read until your parents got off work and picked you up.

You arrive at the branch and realize that the library has grown. They’ve added an activity center, a large gym-like building where children can run and play. The library itself has a new children’s books room for read-alongs, and a bank of computers has been added. You scan the bulletin boards, looking at flyers for upcoming events at the library and ads for local businesses, noting that quite a few of them are near the library.

You ask the staff member at the circulation desk about volunteering to shelve books. You want to do something while you look for a more permanent job. They smile and hand you a volunteer form to fill out, saying that they can always use help shelving books. They add that they also accept help for events, and for monitors for the activity center. You fill out the form and hand it back to them. You expect that you won’t be approved as a volunteer for at least a week. To your surprise, the staff member points to a woman wheeling a book cart out into the main library, and says that she will help you get acquainted with their shelving process.

You walk up to the woman and introduce yourself. She has short dark hair, with a braid winding around the crown of her head. She has a scar on her face, and a somewhat stern look. She introduces herself as Cassandra, and begins showing you how to shelve the books, pointing out the shelf labels and making sure you understand the Dewey Decimal system. You reach for a book, but she grabs it before you can touch it, hugging it to her chest.

“I prefer to shelve the romance novels,” she says quickly. Then she blushes, looking at the book guiltily. “They’re my favorite, and I like seeing what’s been recently checked out.”

You realize that she’s shy about her choice of reading material, and nod sympathetically. You ask her which book is her favorite, and her smile softens her features. You shelve books together, listening to her excitedly, but quietly, tell you about an older series, set over generations in one manor house, and explains the characters and plot lines. You stand with her as she shelves the romance novels. She pulls out the first novel of the series and hands it to you quickly.

“If you’d like to read it,” she says with another blush.

You find out that she’s a physical education teacher at your old school, Haven Middle School. You talk together about the teachers who are still there, how the students have changed over the years, and her joys and frustrations of working with pubescent adolescents. You realize that she’s probably stern during the P.E. classes, but has a tender affection for students that are more shy than others. She talks with pride about how those students have overcome their shyness to excel in sports.

“They know that I volunteer here after the school day on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Several of them are in the activity center as we speak. They do not know that I read romance novels, and I intend to keep it that way.”

She says this while looking pointedly at you. You secretly hope that someday she will accept her choice of reading materials proudly. You also hope you and she become friends.

Before you leave the library for the day, you check out the first book in Cassandra’s favorite series. You’ve been looking for a new novel to read, anyway.


	3. The Community Tennis Courts

The next morning, you make your way towards the library again. You aren’t going to shelve books, though. Your destination is the community tennis courts next door.

As a child, your mother would play tennis with a group of friends a few times a week on these courts. A few summers, your parents signed you up for tennis camps. You weren’t very good, but you remembered having fun. Signing up for adult lessons might help you make new friends, and will definitely help you stay active.

The old tennis instructor retired several years ago. You see a man practicing serves, pulling tennis ball after tennis ball from a large wire cart next to him. He has an air of authority and confidence, so you walk up to him and ask if he’s the instructor for that morning’s class. He says he is, and introduces himself as Cullen.

“You’re a half-hour early, but I’d be happy to play you one-on-one for a bit, if you’d like.”

You agree, setting down your bag and taking out your racket. It’s an older racket, one your mother stopped using a few years ago. He asks to see your racket and studies it, testing the plastic-coated strings and tapping his fingers on the rubberized grip.

“Good condition, if a bit banged up. Might need to get it restrung in the future. As for this,” he taps the grip of the racket, “this is practically deteriorated. I’ve got a temporary fix for that.”

He takes out some kind of tape, possibly electrical tape, and wraps it around the grip, giving you a barrier between the old, sticky rubber and your hand. He swings the racket, testing the wrapping, then hands your racket back.

“Let’s see what you’ve got!”

Once he realizes how bad you are, you don’t actually _play_ tennis with Cullen. Instead he gently hits tennis balls towards you, and watches your form as you return them, giving suggestions every once in a while but mostly observing. 

After a particularly clumsy return, you ask him if it isn’t time to get ready for the group lesson. He realizes you’re frustrated, and nods. He hands you an odd-shaped wire basket with a long handle, taking another one for himself. He shows you how to push the wire basket onto a tennis ball, forcing it to pop into the basket without having to bend down to pick it up. You help him pick up the tennis balls and dump them into the large cart.

Others arrive for the group lesson. You don’t recognize them, but they seem to know each other. Two women arrive together, one with dark skin and a shaved head, the other tan with a long braid of brown hair. They both seem elegant and easy on the court. A few men show up as well, one with a well-kept mustache and a cultured accent, one slightly older with a full beard, and a younger man with a slight build and pale skin. You overhear the two women mention Cassandra, and ask if they’re talking about the woman you met in the library.

“Yes! She plays on Saturdays, which allows us to challenge the others, 3-on-3,” the woman with the braid explains. “Since you’re here, perhaps we could play 3-on-3 today instead of the usual lesson?” She asks Cullen, who nods.

You nervously agree, asking that they go easy on you, since you’re rusty. Cullen chuckles, putting his fist to his mouth to disguise it as a cough.

You play on a team with the woman with the brown braid and the pale young man. You do not play very well, but Cullen encourages you from the sideline. The pale young man is surprisingly nimble, seeming to be everywhere on the court at once, although he’s so quiet you run into him a few times. The woman with the brown braid has excellent form, and you wonder how long she’s been coming to the courts.

The game ends, and you are sweaty and winded. Everyone helps pick up the spent tennis balls, some by hand, others by using the special wire baskets. You go to use the showers in the locker room, so exhausted and sweaty that you forget to introduce yourself to your fellow students.


	4. Nightingale’s Niceties

After showering and changing from your tennis lesson, you spy an ice cream shop across the street. The sign outside says “Nightingale’s Niceties,” and you think that ice cream sounds lovely.

A bell on the door announces your arrival. Four people share one of the tables, scarfing down large cups or cones and noisily chatting and laughing. Two appear to be in firefighters’ uniform, while the other two are dressed casually. A woman with delicate features and chin-length red hair stands next to the table, laughing and listening to the group. She looks up at you when you arrive, and goes to stand behind the counter.

“Welcome to Nightingale’s Niceties,” she says pleasantly. It sounds genuine, rather than a rehearsed phrase. “I haven’t seen you around here before. Have you just moved here?”

You explain that you grew up here, but have just moved back and are getting reacquainted with the neighborhood.

“How interesting! I’m Leliana. Do you know what you’d like, or would you like to try some samples first? I create all of the flavors myself. And taste them, too!””

She hands you small spoons of thick, creamy ice cream as she asks you questions. Where did you move back from? What did you do? What are you doing now? She notices your tennis bag and asks if you’re taking lessons at the courts across the street. It would feel invasive if she didn’t seem so casual. You notice the table cast a few glances at you, smiling and shaking their heads as if to say ‘she does this all the time.’

You settle on a green tea and raspberry swirl, an unusual combination that somehow works very well.

She suggests that you get a waffle cone dipped in white chocolate at the top, and after your first bite of the ice cream and waffle cone, you are convinced that you have found your new favorite ice cream flavor.

She smiles happily. “We also sell pints, if you ever want to take some home!”

The table of people lingers as you exit the ice cream shop, happily enjoying your cone as you walk towards your bike.


	5. B’s Pizza

A few days later, an old friend asks if you’d like to go see a local band play at a nearby venue. You agree, reminiscing about concerts you went to together as teenagers. You decide to meet for dinner beforehand at a pizza restaurant near the venue.

B’s Pizza is crowded, with a line out the door. Thankfully, the line moves quickly as people place their orders then sit along long tables lined up in the fairly large space. The restaurant boasts cheeses flown in from Italy, and handmade, hand-tossed dough.

You get to the counter and order a pizza to split, opting for one of the restaurant’s specialties and some sodas. The restaurant has a plexiglass section of the kitchen where diners can watch the pizza dough be hand-tossed. You recognize the man with the full beard as he expertly twirls the dough midair, although you feel bad that he has to wear a ridiculous-looking net over his hair and beard.

He recognizes you through the plexiglass and waves over another employee to take over. He comes out from behind the plexiglass and shakes your hand firmly.

“Good to see you. My name’s Thom, although I never got yours.”

You introduce yourself and your friend. You find out that he’s the founder and owner of the restaurant, inspired by a pizza restaurant from his own hometown. He looks around proudly, saying that the community really took to the restaurant.

“Everyone together at a table, even when they’ve never met, creates the kind of bond that keeps a community strong,” he remarks with a nod.

He shakes your hand again, then goes back behind the counter, carefully washing his hands before returning to spinning the pizza dough into large circles.

It’s not long before your pizza arrives at your table. You recognize the pale young man, also from your tennis lessons, as he brings it to you. You ask him his name.

“I’m Cole.” His voice is light and quiet, but not shy, as you thought it might be.

You tell him that you were impressed with his skill, explaining to your friend that he covered the court as if he were everywhere at once. Cole smiles and bobs his head in thanks, but quickly disappears to deliver more food to other customers.

The pizza is very good, a perfect choice before the concert, and between the two of you it’s gone within a matter of minutes.

You chat for a bit, then decide that there’s time to visit the bar next door before heading to the concert.


	6. Vintage

B’s Pizza is connected to the bar next door, Vintage. Vintage is much smaller, with golden Edison bulbs hanging from wooden frames suspended from the ceiling. The bar is covered in golden lights and live greenery. The wooden tables are all polished to a high shine, and bottles of various colors, shapes, and sizes line shelves behind the equally polished bar counter.

The man with the mustache stands behind the bar, wearing a leather apron and drying several glasses with a cloth. He recognizes you and waves you over. All of the tables are filled with people sipping cocktails and chatting, but luckily there are two bar stools available at the counter.

“I recognize you, you’re the newbie at the courts, right? Terribly clumsy, but I’m sure you’ll manage in time.” He laughs heartily, but not unkindly. His leather apron is embroidered with the bar’s logo and his name, Dorian. 

You introduce yourself and your friend, but are momentarily distracted when Cole appears at the end of the bar. Dorian holds up a finger to you and delivers a drink in a tall glass to Cole, who takes it back through the door into the restaurant.

“B’s Pizza and Vintage have a special arrangement,” Dorian says with a wink. “His patrons can order drinks from Vintage while they’re in B’s, and my patrons can order pizza while they’re enjoying the atmosphere here.”

As he says that, Cole reappears, carrying a tray of individual slices for a large table of patrons, who greet him happily and snatch up the slices.

Your friend orders a Bee’s Knees, and you decide to order the “Show Me What You’ve Got.” Instead of it being a set drink, Dorian crafts a special cocktail tailored to your tastes and his interests. He asks you questions about what flavors you like and dislike, whether bubbles appeal to you, and how you feel about pungent herbs.

You watch as he turns around, consulting the bottles behind him, seeming to pick them at random. He pours the various liquids into a copper shaker, adding ice and herbs and a splash of seltzer. He shakes the concoction vigorously, then pours it into a tall glass with more ice and fresh sprigs of rosemary and lavender.

The cocktail is delicious. He smiles with a wink, pleased that you enjoy it, and writes down the ingredients for you.

“But I won’t include the ratios. Just bring the card back to me and I’ll craft this for you anytime you’d like. Would you like to name it, or shall I?”

You allow him to name it, and he chooses to call it a Sparkler.

Your friend realizes what time it is, and you two quickly finish your drinks. Dorian jokingly scolds the two of you for not allotting enough time to really _savor_ his creations. You promise to return on another night as you hurry out the door.


	7. NugHumper’s

The concert venue, NugHumper’s, is only one block down from Vintage. Unfortunately, the close proximity of the venue gave you and your friend a false sense of leisure, and you are stuck in line as the band you came to see starts their first song. You can hear the music from the open door, and bounce along to it as you wait.

You get to the front of the line before the end of the first song. NugHumper’s is a small venue, which means a shorter line for ticketed shows. You show your tickets the bouncer, a lean-muscled man with short brown hair, and he waves you inside.

The venue is decorated haphazardly, yet it comes together well. The walls are so covered in posters from bands of all genres that you can’t tell what color it is. Half of the floor is covered in black-and-white checkered linoleum, while the other half is concrete covered in paint splatters of every color. A short hallway leads to a bathroom that you decide to stay away from, and a small bar takes up a corner next to the raised stage. The stage lights are so close that the space is almost boiling, and concert goers bounce and thrash and sing along to the band’s music.

You and your friend join the tiny mosh pit for a few minutes, then exit it, soaked in sweat and laughing. A petite woman bounds up to you and tugs your elbows, encouraging you to get back into the mosh pit. Her blonde hair is cut short, almost in a page-boy style, and her eyes are rimmed in dark eyeliner. She wears combat boots, yellow plaid leggings, and a long, ripped red tank top.

“Come on, you can’t be done yet!” She yells over the music. You look at your friend, shrug, and jump back into the crowd.

The band finishes its first set and takes a break, sending everyone in a rush over to the bar. The petite woman shakes her head and jumps onto the stage, walking around the crowd to go behind the bar and start taking orders. The crowd closes in around the bar, and she motions to another petite woman with curling brown hair in a ponytail to come help her. They work efficiently, taking and filling all the orders within minutes.

“Whew, glad that’s done! At least for now,” she says with a dramatic sigh, walking back up to you. “You weren’t bad out there! You almost looked like you knew what you were doing.” She laughs with a snort, and your friend joins her. You finally join their laughter after pretending to be hurt.

“Sera,” the woman says with her hand out. You reach out for a handshake, but she turns it into a complex series of hand gestures and slaps. “First time at NugHumper’s?”

You nod, explaining that you had been to the venue in its previous incarnation, and pointing at the posters of the bands you had seen here.

“Yeah, I found ‘em in storage when I got the place. Waste letting them sit getting dusty and moldy and ew. Much better as wallpaper.”

The band returns to the stage and picks up their instruments. Sera grins and rushes back into the mosh pit, leaving you and your friend to finish the concert without having to jump into the mosh pit again.

You and your friend leave after the third and final encore, soaked in sweat and singing the songs you liked best.


	8. Druffastalker

A few days later, you’re back at the community tennis courts. You’re able to greet most of the others by name, and they greet you back with smiles. Cullen insists that today is spent practicing serves and returns.

“Part of being a tennis instructor is that I’m supposed to _instruct_ my students,” he says with a shrug when the two women try to convince him to play sets instead.

The group rotates partners and practices serving and returning. You are no better than you were the first day. Dorian laughs when your return goes so wide that it hits Thom in the side.

“This is tennis, not dodgeball!” Dorian says, wiping a tear from his eye.

“If it were dodgeball, Cassandra’d be the one instructing,” Cullen says with a smirk.

The others groan in agreement. You guess that they must have exchanged tennis for dodgeball at least a few times.

“She wins every time,” Cole says matter-of-factly. He wears a full-brimmed hat so large it looks almost comical. Then again, he might burn very easily in the sun, which reminds you to reapply sunscreen.

Even though you didn’t play any better, you were able to pace yourself so that by the end of the lesson you weren’t as sweaty and tired as last time. The two women sling their tennis bags onto their shoulders.

The woman with the brown braid announces to the group that a particular food truck, DeLyrius, is parked down the street at a place called Druffastalker. The others seem excited, grabbing their bags and heading for the sidewalk. Cullen groans, unable to join them.

“I’ve got three more lessons this afternoon. Enjoy some for me?” The group nods and waves, with Dorian poking a little fun at Cullen’s expense.

Thom stops when he notices you turn in the opposite direction of the group. “You’re not coming?”

You didn’t realize you were invited. You didn’t think you weren’t _not_ invited, but you look past Thom to see the rest of the group waiting for you. You smile and turn to follow them, excited that making friends seems to be going in your favor.

You walk a few blocks down to a brick building with a large mosaic on one wall. The mosaic looks like a hybrid of a Druffalo’s head on a Deepstalker’s body. You remember seeing the symbol on some cans as you passed by the beer aisle in the grocery store the other day, but hadn’t stopped to look at it closely.

A bright blue food truck is parked in front of the building. A delicious scent wafts out of the truck, and you suddenly realize how hungry you are. The others have already begun ordering. Cole suggests getting the Fennec’s Feast, and you take his advice. You place your order with the vendor, a stocky man with a shaved head and a dark, scruffy beard. You notice that his hands shake a little, and he has a stutter, but he moves quickly and confidently inside the truck.

You receive your food, and walk with the group into Druffastalker. The inside of the brick building is filled with tables and chairs, as well as couches and comfortable armchairs. Bookshelves line two of the walls, small signs separating the books into certain genres. A bar runs the length of the longest wall, with beer taps at even intervals. Above the taps is a massive chalkboard, with a list of each beer’s name and type. You ask Thom where the brewery gets its non-house beer. The bartender, another stocky man with blonde hair pulled up in a half-ponytail and scruff on his face, answers you instead.

“They’re _all_ in-house. Some of them are small batch, but all of them are made right here.” He raps his knuckles on the bartop, then reaches his hand out. “Varric, proprietor, brewmeister, and bestseller.”

Dorian rolls his eyes at Varric. “He gets one book on the _New Denerim Times’_ Bestsellers list _once_ , and suddenly he thinks he’s a famous author.”

Varric leans back and smirks, eyebrow raised. “And what have _you_ done that’s gotten you on the _New Denerim Times’_ Bestsellers list, hmm?” He laughs as Dorian pouts in response, then asks what you’d like to drink.

You tell him what you ordered from the food truck, and he nods. “I’ve got just the brew for you.” 

He walks over to an unmarked tap and fills a pint glass with a reddish beer. He brings it back and slides it to you. It smells fruity and mild.

“Shaper’s Saison. Blackberry, buckwheat, and a hint of lemon zest. Enjoy,” he says with a wink. He turns to take the others’ orders, walking to each tap as soon as they name the beer they’d like. You notice that all the taps are unmarked, but he seems to know exactly where each beer is.

Once everyone has a pint in their hands, you find a large table and sit. The Fennec’s Feast is a bowl of hot farrow with roasted vegetables, sprinkled with currants and parmesan cheese, and tossed with arugula, fruit vinaigrette, and lemon juice. You eye the bowl, unsure of the hot-and-cold dish, then shrug and take a bite. You sip the Shaper’s Saison. You take another bite, another sip, and another and another, until both your bowl and glass are empty. Cole smiles, pleased that you enjoyed the meal. Varric nods in acknowledgement from behind the bar. The woman with the brown braid selects a romance novel from one of the bookshelves and purchases it at the bar.

“For Cassandra,” she says with a smile.

Your group reluctantly gathers their things to leave, bringing the pint glasses up to the bar and tossing their paper bowls and boxes into a trash bin. It’s not until you walk outside that you turn back to the two women, realizing that you still don't know their names.

“Darn!” The woman with the shaved head says, taking a bill out of her pocket and handing it to Dorian. “We made a little bet to see how long you would take to ask what our names were. Dorian’s won, I’m afraid.”

Dorian kisses the bill and tucks it into his pocket.

“I’m Josephine,” the woman with the braid says. “This is Vivienne.” The woman with the shaved head nods her head graciously. You formally introduce yourself, then part ways with your new group of friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Roasted Veggie Farrow Bowl recipe: https://www.hellofresh.com/recipes/roasted-veggie-farro-bowls-5f3aef3c29fe3337d33ea1c0


	9. Charged Up

You take a deep breath, hesitating. You’ve never been to a CrossFit gym before, but you were interested in giving it a try, and this gym offers one free introductory lesson. You look into the gym from outside. The people inside are of all sizes and shapes. A slim woman lifts two heavy ropes and begins pumping her arms, making them wiggle like snakes. Two burly men do situps, locking their feet together and passing a medicine ball between them at the top of each rep.

You take another deep breath, then walk into Charged Up. You give your name at the desk, and wait for one of the employees to come give you a tour. You see the man with short brown hair who worked as a bouncer at NugHumper’s. He waves, and you wave back. You’re surprised he remembers you, but at a small venue, it’s possible that he’d be able to recognize returning concert goers easily.

You turn as a man, taller and more muscled than you’ve ever seen, approaches you. A patch covers one of his eyes, and it suits him. He holds out a massive hand. 

“People call me Bull. Nice to meet ya.”

You assume it's a nickname, and you can see how he'd earned it, although you don’t say so. Bull shows you around the gym, pointing out various machines and equipment, explaining the philosophy behind Charged Up.

“You come here, you put in the work, and you respect others. We’ll let anyone come in and give it a shot, but we’re looking for people who want to be part of the Chargers. Right, Chargers?”  He yells out the last word, and the others shout “Horns up!” in return. He turns back to you.

“So, ready to get your butt kicked? I won’t go easy on you.”

You nod, already sweating from nerves. Bull leads you through a typical workout, which includes jump rope, heavy weights, awkward squat-like exercises, and a turn at a punching bag.

By the end of the introductory lesson, you are more than exhausted.

“How d’you feel? Ready to be a Charger?” He grins at you, and you realize he’s teasing you. You politely decline, but thank him for the lesson anyway, saying you’ll stick to tennis.

“You take lessons down at the public courts? Cullen comes to the Sunday workout blasts we do with the firefighters in the park. That group’s kinda like Charger Lites. Maybe that’d be more your speed. Come by if you’re interested!”

He slaps a massive hand on your back, in a friendly but careless way. You wave to the Chargers as you leave the gym, looking forward to a hot shower and wondering if you should go ahead and take some pain relief medicine. You are definitely going to be sore tomorrow.


	10. The Fire Station

Cassandra comes to the tennis courts on Saturday. She greets you awkwardly. Even though you’ve volunteered together twice, she’s unsure of how to interact with you outside of the library. She becomes much more confident once you start playing tennis.

Cullen joins one side of the court, opposite of Cassandra. You, Josephine, and Thom join Cassandra on her side of the court, while Cole, Vivienne, and Dorian join Cullen’s team.

The teams, to everyone’s surprise, are evenly matched. Despite your less-than-subpar skills, you’re able to contribute to the team a few times. At one point you run into Cassandra while both going after a serve. You’re afraid she might be upset, but instead she offers you a hand up and stares in determination at Cullen.

“Go ahead, try that again and see if we make the same mistake twice!”

Cullen does, and you know better than to try to interfere. Cassandra scores a point and smiles in triumph at him.

You finish the game in the late afternoon, sweaty and hungry. Cassandra informs you that the local fire station is hosting a community potluck tonight, and the group agrees to meet at the station. You go home to shower and prepare your dish.

You decide on macaroni and cheese, topped with gooey cheese and buttered breadcrumbs. You walk to the fire station as the sun begins to set. You hear the sounds of a radio playing and people talking and laughing.

You arrive at the fire station and see a large crowd. You scan the crowd and see Cassandra near the buffet table, and walk over to greet her as you find an empty spot to set down your dish.

You watch Sera set out a tray of cookies, a satisfied smirk on her face. No one reaches for them.

You wave at Leliana, who brought several cartons of Nightingale's Niceties ice cream and has them set up at the very end of the buffet. 

Varric has brought a keg of a light Druffastalker ale that he calls Blondie’s Revenge and boasts about a killer secret ingredient. You get a plastic cup full of the pale yellow beer and take a large swig. You realize that the secret ingredient is jalapeño peppers. The others laugh at you good-naturedly, and you quickly switch to soda.

A pair of firefighters come over to your group, and you recognize them from Nightingale’s Niceties. The man with dark black hair slaps Varric on the back, while the man with auburn hair tries the complicated handshake with Sera and fails miserably. Varric introduces them.

“This guy here is Hawke, my oldest and worst friend,” Varric says, lightly punching the dark-haired one on the shoulder. He rubs his arm in mock pain, then nods to you.

“My _actual_ name is Garrett, but everyone calls me Hawke. You might as well do the same.” You notice that he has a faint discoloration across his nose, as if he had once smeared ink across his face and still couldn’t get it off completely.

Varric jerks his thumb towards the auburn-haired man. “And this here’s Superman, always in a rush to be a hero.”

The man with russet hair groans. “When are you going to give it a rest?”

“When you falling down the firepole chute  _ without _ grabbing the firepole stops being funny,” Varric responds.

You snicker, unable to stop yourself, and the man runs his hand down his face and shakes his head.

“Wonderful, so that's a 'never,' then. Well,  _ my _ name is Alistair. And everyone actually  _ calls _ me Alistair. Not  _ Superman _ .” He gives Varric a glare, and Varric smirks back.

You mingle with the others, going back and forth to the buffet table to get more food. You notice that Hawke has a large helping of your macaroni and cheese on his plate, and raise your hand when he asks who made it.

“It’s not from frozen?” He takes a large forkfull, shoving it into his mouth. “Send him the recipe,” he says between bites of pasta and cheese, motioning to Alistair with his head.

“We’re always looking for food we can make a lot of and  _ fast _ ,” Alistair says. He moves to scoop a spoonful of macaroni and cheese off of Hawke’s plate. Hawke tries to pull his plate out of Alstair’s reach, and accidentally upends it onto Varric. Your group falls silent for a moment.

Until Sera grabs a handful of potato salad from her plate and throws it at you. " _FOOD FIGHT!_ "

You fight back, flinging baked beans at Dorian.

By the end of the food fight, everyone is covered in food from head to toe. Hawke suggests that everyone use the Fire Station's garden hose to rinse off.

"Better to go home wet than wearing the potluck," he says, turning on the hose and allowing it to run over his head.

Your shoes squish as you walk home, the empty dish in your hands.


	11. Arlathan Eatery

Your friend has some news to share with you, and insists on telling you in person. They suggest that you meet at a cafe called Arlathan Eatery, near Nightingale's Niceties.

You walk into Arlathan Eatery, unsure whether you've wandered into a cafe or a plant nursery. Green plant life covers every spare space of three walls, and tendrils of vines cascade from pots hanging from the ceiling. A slight man with no hair sits comfortably on a ladder next to the only bare wall, calmly painting an intricate mural. Pastries line a glass case, and the smell of coffee and tea hangs in the air.

You see your friend and wave to them, and make your way to the counter to order first. The slight man notices you and sets his paints aside, wiping his hands off on a cloth half-apron around his waist. He welcomes you, asking for your order.

You ask him about the coffees and teas they have on offer, and eye the wealth of pastries and cakes through the glass case. Some of them are braided to look like vines and wreaths, some are decorated with small, intricate flowers made of icing.

You decide on a simple _pain au chocolat_ with pour-over coffee. The man suggests a particular blend, and advises that you try it without adding any sugar or cream. You agree to at least _try_ the unaltered coffee.

The man begins your coffee and hands you the pastry wrapped in wax paper. You chat with him as he patiently pours small amounts of hot water over the fragrant grounds. He mentions his name is Solas. You tell him your name, and talk about the hobbies you've picked up since you've been home.

"You volunteer at the library? Then you consider yourself a reader? What do you enjoy reading?"

You mention the books you're currently reading, and ask him the same.

"I prefer nonfiction, especially histories. I'm reading an interesting one at the moment about botany. Perhaps that's not so surprising, though." He chuckles, looking at the plants surrounding them.

You ask him more about the books he's reading, but soon the coffee is ready and he gently waves you on to your friend.

"We have a discussion group that meets every week, if you'd like to continue our conversation," he says with a nod of his head.

You sit with your friend and try the coffee with a bite of your pastry. To your surprise, they complement each other, and look back at Solas with a nod of thanks. He smiles and returns to his mural.

You ask your friend what their news is. They smile excitedly and hold their hand out to you, a shiny silver ring set with a peridot on their left hand. You congratulate them heartily, clinking your coffee mugs together in a toast.


	12. Gracious Designs

A few weeks later, your friend asks you for a favor. They've started looking into their wedding, and realizes that two of the women you play tennis with run a wedding planning company. You arrange a consultation and tag along, curious to see what Josephine and Vivienne do.

The name Gracious Designs is listed on two doors, side-by-side. One door's lettering is in silver, and the other is in gold. You lead your friend through the silver-lettered door first.

Vivienne looks up from her desk and smiles, inviting you both to sit. Her desk is mirrored, and her office has delicate accents of silver, white, and light blue.

You sit back and watch your friend speak with Vivienne about the vision for their wedding. Vivienne asks questions and pulls out fabric swatches, photographer's portfolios, and venue profiles. She listens carefully to your friend, and begins compiling notes on a slim computer. She takes out several binders of weddings she's planned in the past, and your friend's face beams as they discuss more details with her.

"Well, it seems that I've a good idea of where to start. I can start calling the venues immediately."

Vivienne rises and shakes your friend's hand, then points to a door connecting her office to a bakery next door. "I have to disclose that I only work with one catering company and bakery. But I can guarantee that you won't be disappointed. Have fun!"

You and your friend walk through the door to the bakery. The walls are painted a warm sandstone, and the counter is made of white marble swirled with gold. Josephine, dressed in an immaculate white chef's uniform, smiles and waves. You introduce your friend to her, and they begin talking about food, drink, and cake.

Josephine brings out menus and a few samples.

"I've made a few _amuse-bouche_ of our most popular offerings. Enough for you both," she says with a wink.

All of the samples are delicious, but Josephine clucks her tongue.

"You must choose a menu of foods that remind you of your love, that you want to share with the people you care about. It cannot just be 'delicious,' it needs to be unique to _you_!"

Your friend leans on the counter and begins looking through the menus more seriously, carefully tasting more of the _amuse-bouche_ samples.

Once they have a the menu narrowed down to more specific sources, Josephine brings out another set of samples: a tray of several different sets of _petit_ _four._

"These are all samples of the cakes we make. I can always tailor whatever you choose to you liking, but these also show you the kinds of decoration I can do. And they're so cute!"  
  


The tray of _petit four_ is empty by the end of your meeting. You are partial to the dark chocolate and cherry cake with cream cheese icing. In the end, your friend chooses a simple vanilla cake with cherry jam and marzipan icing.

You wave to Josephine as you exit the bakery side of Gracious Designs, waving to Vivienne through the window as you walk past the office side. Your friend talked excitedly about the possibilities that Vivienne and Josephine presented to them. You remind yourself to mention their praises to Josephine and Vivienne the next time you go to the tennis courts.


	13. Hometown Wedding

A year later, you sit in a plastic folding chair set out on the small town square.

Rows of plastic chairs have been set out, surrounding the tiny gazebo only big enough to fit your friend, their soon-to-be-official spouse, and the officiant. A fountain in the shape of a fierce griffon stands proudly on the opposite side of the square from the gazebo.

Vivienne has done a wonderful job. She was able to maneuver discounts and wheedle details from her vendors, pulling everything together like it was magic. Josephine's food will be set out at Druffastalker after the ceremony, along with meticulously crafted specialties from some other familiar faces: signature cocktails from Vintage, a limited-edition flavor of ice cream from Nightingale's Niceties, and a special, small-batch brew from Varric himself. You still wonder how Vivienne convinced Varric to make the brew.

The ceremony is officiated, oddly enough, by Cassandra. She speaks solemnly about love, and you think you catch a few references to romance novels in the ceremony. You see your friend smile at a few of the lines, which must mean that they're from novels they've read together at Cassandra's Lonely Hearts Book Club meetings at the library.

Cole moves quietly around during the ceremony, snapping pictures. You were surprised when the photographer your friend chose happened to be the quiet young man who had a knack for being unobtrusively everywhere. Then again, he seems to have the skills necessary to get great photographs without interrupting the actual events.

Cassandra has the couple take their vows, and tells them they are officially married with tears in her eyes. Hawke, Alistair, and the rest of the firefighters cheer for the couple from open windows in the fire station, across the street from the square.

The ceremony is over, and most of the guests make their way to Druffastalker while you stay to watch Cole take photographs. Vivienne stays to help direct the couple, eyeing the light the slowly setting sun gives off. Hawke and Alistair convince your friends to take pictures in the fire station as well, offering up the fire truck, the fire pole, and even letting the couple take pictures with the firehouse's spotted Mabari hound, Fire Chief Fuzzybutt (whose real name is Duncan).

When you finally arrive at Druffastalker with the couple, their reception is in full swing. Your friend decided to keep Druffastalker open to anyone who wanted to come. It wasn't just about who got an invitation, after all, it was about sharing the love with the whole community.

You laugh as Sera gets your friend to dance on top of the bar with her, accidentally kicking over pint glasses and belting out the words to "Hands Down" (which you asked the DJ to play when Vivienne's back was turned).

You see Josephine and Thom at a table to themselves close to where the food is set out. Josephine keeps one eye on the food, replenishing any dish that starts to look too sparse, while her other eye is on Thom. He only has eyes for her.

Bull strides in with the Chargers and Cullen during a lull in the festivities, instantly kicking things back up into high gear. They always come to Druffastalker after their weekend workout blasts. Hawke, Alistair, and a few other firefighters come in after them, off of their shifts and ready to join the party.

Leliana, Dorian, and Varric stand behind the bar, attempting to keep everyone's cups and cones full, seeming to become energized by the people crowding into the brewery. Somehow Cole appears behind the bar briefly, snapping a picture of the crowd.

The raucous music fades out as your friend takes to the floor with their spouse, and a sweet acoustic song begins playing as they dance together. The crowd quiets down as the first few strums on the guitar ring out, then start giggling when they realize it's an acoustic version of "I Believe in a Thing Called Love."

As they dance, Josephine quietly sets the cake out on a table near the couple. You're surprised to see Solas carrying in cake boxes as well. You sneak a peek as he opens one, and see that they contain cupcakes decorated with delicate florals and greenery of icing. He smiles proudly and begins setting the cupcakes out on another table close by.

The acoustic cover ends and the couple kiss, to wild applause from friends and strangers alike. Another song immediately starts to play after their kiss. _Baby the sun is shining, dogwoods are comin' in bloom..._

Your friend claps and starts to sing along, jauntily dancing towards the cake. The cake is decorated to look like a tree stump covered in red mushrooms, ferns, and even featuring a little frog and butterfly. Josephine beams proudly as the couple admires the cake, then gestures to your friend's spouse, who produces a medieval-style sword from _somewhere_. You laugh with delight as your friend pretends to hack into the cake, then asks Josephine for a more appropriate utensil.

The cake is cut, and the couple smashes the cake on each other in a mini food-fight for two. Solas begins handing out cupcakes and Josephine shoos the couple off to begin slicing the cake. Thom helps her plate the slices and Vivienne drifts through the crowd, handing whoever she finds a plate.

The party lasts long into the night. You swear you can almost see the sky lightening when the opening rifts for "Closing Time" play over Druffastalker's speakers. The crowd groans but obediently begins to shuffle out the doors. The couple leaves first, without much ceremony, waving tiredly to the entire crowd. The brewery starts to empty out, and you begin to help pick up a few of the pint glasses when Varric stops you. He shakes his head and gently pushes you towards the door, mumbling something about being closed tomorrow for a cleaning crew.

You wave goodbye to your friends as you all head separate ways. You walk down quiet streets to your apartment. You decide it was a good decision to come back.

It feels good to get reacquainted with your hometown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Hands Down" by Dashboard Confessional https://youtu.be/V_4qNnbbtsY  
> "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" covered by Colin & Caroline https://youtu.be/Ex72bHdpErI  
> "Good Day for Marrying You" by Dave Barnes https://youtu.be/K65O2bsMt14  
> "Closing Time" by Semisonic https://youtu.be/xGytDsqkQY8


End file.
